Serum Levels of Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-10 and Albumin in Type 2 Diabetic Female Patients in Federal Medical Center (FMC) Asaba, Nigeria

Abstract

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and associated with systemic inflammation with insulin resistance (IR) and beta cell dysfunction playing central roles in its pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and serum albumin circulating among female patients with T2DM in Federal Medical Center, Asaba, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study carried out on a total of 60 randomly recruited participants, grouped into 30 T2DM female patients (test subjects) and 30 non-diabetic female subjects (controls). The participants were within the age range of 18-79 years and were age matched. Serum TNF-α and IL-10 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while albumin was measured via the bromocresol green (BCG) method.  Results showed the mean serum levels of TNF-α (44.53±9.38 Vs 15.45±2.10; p < 0.001) and IL-10 (16.56±1.60 Vs 4.62±1.23; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the test group compared to the control group. However, the mean serum albumin level did not differ significantly in test group than in the control group (p = 0.059). TNF-α exhibited a positive correlation with age in controls (r = 0.496, p = 0.019). The increased levels of both TNF-α and IL-10 in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls highlights the heightened inflammatory responses in T2DM indicating a complex interplay between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. Also, the positive correlation between age and TNF-α in healthy controls highlights the potential impact of aging on inflammatory processes.